Triad: Beginnings (Goblet of Fire)
by CRT145
Summary: REPOST. Goblet of Fire A/U. Snape's arrogance and the Triward Tournament changes the lives of three women. HG/FD/OFC.


**DISCLAIMER**: Harry Potter and its characters are not mine. And never will be. No offence is given or meant in the following story. I'm merely borrowing them.

**PAIRING**: HG / FD / OFC

**AUTHOR'S NOTE (1)**: Story features the path that three women take towards a loving, happy and stable relationship. It might not be a smooth journey but it's there nonetheless. However, there will be nothing graphic.

**AUTHOR'S NOTE (2)**: This has not been beta'd. And it has been a very long time since I wrote anything. A very long time. So this is probably not very good. Please R&R. Pretty please.

**Chapter One: Decisions**

Hermione didn't notice anyone at first. Her mind taken up by the strange summons that greeted her that morning. It had been a simple note in Snape's precise, neat handwriting that had requested her presence. Term had not begun properly yet, indeed lessons didn't start until the following day. Hermione couldn't believe she would be in trouble. Even more, she couldn't believe she was in trouble when Ron and Harry were clearly not.

She had wracked her brain for any clue as to what she had done wrong. Snape would not call her otherwise. But every time her thoughts came to nothing. She had done nothing on the train, nothing at the Sorting Feast the night before. She was baffled. Utterly and completely.

And in that state of mind, she walked into it.

No not it. Him.

He was a horrifying site. The new Dark Arts Professor had been terrifying, his face and body carrying the scars of countless battles but this newcomer was something completely different. It was clearly male but had to be some form of magical creature. Hermione could think of no other explanation. It was difficult to tell the creature's true size or shape as his body was twisted in different directions, causing him to both bend towards and away from Hermione. It was as if thousands bubbles, each a different size, had been blown under his skin. Not even the voluminous black cloak wrapped around his body could hide his warped form. The bubbled skin continued into man's hair, making his head and face as twisted as the rest of his body. His face was covered in dark ring-like blotches. The man was leaning heavily against the wall and on a thick dark cane, one hand was normal while the other was more claw-like.

Hermione felt bile rise in her throat as fear began to burn in her stomach. But what was this it and why was it doing in Hogwarts' dungeon? She wasn't sure she could move as she watched it shuffle towards her and she wasn't sure that she wanted to.

"Come now master," the high pitched squeak of a House Elf jolted her out of her shock.

The figure shock as the Elf took its other hand and the pair moved towards Snape's office.

Hermione was even more confused. And while she wouldn't put it past Snape to be deliberately rude, she thought it more likely that the twisted figure had something to do with her summons.

She moved to follow, Snape's door closed sharply in front of her.

Tentatively, Hermione raised her hand to knock.

XxxXxxX

Snape purposefully ignored the girl sitting in his office. He knew she was growing ever more uncomfortable. He could feel her trying to sit still and wait patiently for him to begin. She was in Slytherin so she knew better than to question him.

A glance at the clock told him that his other guests would be arriving soon.

Snape glanced quickly down at the papers on his desk. He didn't need to see them – he was well aware of what they said. The girl's schoolwork was declining. They had started positively. She had performed well in the Defence Against the Dark Arts and in the more theoretical subjects. But in practical magic, she was almost a squib. And so everything else had begun to be affected. At the end of her third year even her mastery of the Dark Arts had begun to fail. The spiral had continued into her fourth and predictably she had failed the year. She would be forced to repeat year after year until the school finally ended her education.

Snape shook his head sadly.

It was a pattern that had repeated itself for centuries.

The door to his office creaked open.

Snape watched impassively as the misshapen form entered his office being gently guided by a House Elf. Unlike many who came into contact with the man Snape didn't feel either sympathy or revulsion.

"Good morning Gasper."

"Daddy?" The girl jumped up and moved to support the shuffling figure. "Yer should be at 'ome – yer not well."

"Ah'm fine lass – jus'a cowd," his twisted mouth and thick Northern accent made him difficult to understand. Gasper snorted as he shrugged off his daughter and the Elf, "youse bad as yer mum."

"Please … sit," Snape interrupted.

Burke paused, his cane tapped twice on the floor. A nearby chair began to transform, becoming something beautiful but at the same time dark and twisted. With the help of both his daughter and his Elf he pressed himself into the deformed chair, and looking for the first time almost comfortable in its embrace.

"Wot do ya wont Severus?"

There was a quiet, timid knock at Snape's door.

"In a moment Granger!" He continuing in a softer tone "I'm concerned about Amelia's time at Hogwarts," Amelia sat up straighter, disturbing the Elf that was resting on her lap, her face a cross between anger and embarrassment at his words.

"Explain," Gasper growled harshly.

"Amelia has failed her Fourth year…"

"But…" Amelia choked out.

"Youse knows the reason for that Severus," Gasper said harshly interrupting both of them.

"Yes and I find that … an unacceptable excuse," the sneer in Snape's voice, so often present, returned as he spoke. "Amelia is not unintelligent. And while I do not expect her to suddenly become an expert witch. As you say Gasper, the reasons for that are obvious and regrettable. However," the sneer in his voice changed to arrogance, "it is my goal that Amelia will be the first female Burke to complete her education at Hogwarts. And as such, I have spoken to the Headmaster and Amelia's Professors. We have agreed that Amelia education will continue. I have rearranged her timetable to focus on the more theoretical subjects and a tutor to assist with her learning. Ms Granger – you may enter now!"

Snape smirked at the nervous look on the troublesome Gryffindor and the confused ones on the two Burkes.

XxxXxxX

Weapon. Defender. Hunter. Seducer. For a full-blooded Veela, the thrall was all of them and more; a powerful ally that was essential to their way of life. But Fleur hated it. Like many part Veela, she had little control over her thrall. She could make a room full of men dance if she wanted and their minds empty under her thrall. But she couldn't walk into a room and make it not happen.

Some of her cousins enjoyed it, taking advantage before they found a mate and settled down. It was expected. It was accepted.

But Fleur didn't want to seduce any man. And her thrall didn't work on women. Guiltily, she wondered if her attitude would be different if it did. Instead all she got was jealousy and suspicion. It had now soured everything about her time in Beauxbatons.

She hated it. And because of this she was sitting in her Headmistress' office.

"You wish to be considered for the Tournament?" Madame Maxime asked. Her tone was flat and a little bored, Fleur knew that she wasn't the first student to ask this question and wouldn't be the last.

"Yes Madame," she said firmly.

"Fleur, do you understand that the tournament will be … very difficult?"

Fleur was expecting the question, but she was very clear in her own mind that she wanted to go. In truth, she needed to go. She had no real desire to go to Britain. She had no real desire to eat heavy food and endure a Scottish winter. But she couldn't stay in Beauxbatons either.

Fleur looked directly into Maxime's eyes, not flinching as she spoke. "I understand Headmistress."

"I will need confirmation from your parents Fleur." Maxime shrugged. "We will depart for Scotland on 30 October."

Fleur smiled to herself. Her parents had already agreed and she didn't expect Maxime to refuse her request. Fleur was after all, the top student in her year.

"Thank-you Headmistress," Fleur said as she rose to leave Maxime's office.

_End of Part One..._


End file.
